


Honesty Is the Best Policy

by Spikedluv



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-01
Updated: 2011-07-01
Packaged: 2017-10-20 22:33:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/217808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spikedluv/pseuds/Spikedluv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If he hadn’t realized that something was wrong when Rodney thanked Ronon and Teyla, the dilated pupils and whispered, “John,” would have done it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honesty Is the Best Policy

**Author's Note:**

> Written for undermistletoe, prompt: Someone really doped up that egg nog.
> 
> Written: December 18, 2005

[](http://www.rubylane.com/shops/2ezr/item/dr9395)

  
John and his teammates, as the guests of honor, were seated along one side of a low, square table. The cushions they sat upon were a deep blue that matched the cloth covering the table and the heavy drapes at the windows. They were also slippery, John thought, as he braced his toes against the floor to keep from sliding off.

Electric lamps that looked like torches lined the walls, and a chandelier set with electric candle-shaped fixtures hung from the ceiling above them. While the Flondorans were nearly as technologically advanced as early twentieth century Earth, they preferred to keep their environment as traditional in appearance as possible. In this ceremonial hall, at least.

John sat with his legs crossed, his P-90 cradled in his lap, his right knee brushing Rodney’s whenever one of them moved. Teyla and Ronon were seated to Rodney’s right. Kendall, the elected Flondoran leader, sat at the corner opposite Ronon, his elbow on the table as he leaned past Ronon and engaged Teyla in the diplomatic small talk that she excelled at.

Ronon looked bored, but John knew that he was alert. He also knew that Ronon had purposely seated Teyla between him and Rodney, something John didn’t disagree with after the way Kendall had nearly drooled on Teyla’s hand when they were introduced. Teyla, however, had given Ronon a look that clearly said they’d be discussing that later.

The empty spots along the other three sides would soon be filled with the Flondoran council members. Under cover of watching the members straggle into the dining hall in ones and twos and take their seats, John examined the room for sources of possible danger and routes of escape. Rodney was busy studying the readout on the PDA he held in his lap, pausing once in a while to glance up at the activity around them and mutter something about his blood sugar level dropping like a stone, which John mostly ignored.

Once everyone had been seated, two waiters dressed in what John gathered was traditional Flondoran garb appeared from behind heavy blue drapes that must have hidden the doors to the kitchen. The conversations didn’t stop and no one paid them any attention as they set a small cup in front of each of the people gathered around the table.

Rodney picked his head up long enough to look at the cup suspiciously and ask John, “What’s that?”

John picked up the small cup, which reminded him of the last time he’d had saki—before Antarctica, even before Afghanistan. He closed off that line of thought and sniffed the contents of the cup. Not saki, but he couldn’t tell what it was from the smell alone. He set it back down, pretending not to notice the concerned glances that some of the council members had thrown his way when it looked like he might drink before Kendall had given his speech of friendship, or whatever he’d called it when telling them—meaning Teyla—about the ceremonial welcoming dinner.

“I don’t know, but it doesn’t smell like there’s any citrus in it,” he said, keeping his voice low.

“It is part of their ceremony of friendship,” Teyla said from the other side of Rodney. “A bit like your champagne, I believe, in purpose. Kendall will...toast...to our friendship, and then we all sip from the ceremonial beverage. And then the meal will be served.”

“Oh, thank god. Food.”

John rolled his eyes and gently nudged Rodney with his shoulder while Teyla gave him a look of fond exasperation.

“What? I’m going into hypoglycemic shock here.”

“Uh huh.”

As soon as the saki cups, as John was calling them in his head, had been placed before everyone, Kendell called them to attention by ringing the small silver bell that sat at his place. When everyone fell silent, he began speaking.

“As our ancestors have done for centuries, we greet you and bid you welcome to Flondor.” He nodded at each of them in turn, and John tuned out the rest of his speech, letting his eyes move around the table. Everyone but him had their eyes glued to Kendall.

“Hmm.”

The soft sound beside him drew his attention and he watched Rodney’s fingers move over the PDA. Everyone but him and Rodney, he amended.

Kendell stopped speaking and picked up his saki cup. He faced them and raised his cup in the air. “Well met,” he said.

“Well met,” everyone replied, and they sipped from the cup.

John belated picked his up and took a sip. “Tastes like egg nog,” he told Rodney.

“I hate egg nog.” Rodney picked up the cup and took a cautious sip. He swallowed, then made an appreciative noise and drank the rest. He looked sad when there was no more left and John was surprised he didn’t stick his finger in to get all the drink off the sides.

“Here.” He slid his saki cup over to Rodney.

“Really?” Rodney picked it up and drank the rest before John could answer.

“Really,” he said, trying to ignore the flutter in his belly as Rodney licked the faux egg nog off his upper lip, because he didn’t do that anymore. “I thought you didn’t like egg nog?”

“I don’t,” Rodney said, and John heard the unspoken ‘idiot’ at the end. “This is not egg nog.”

“It tastes just like egg nog. If you don’t like egg nog, how can you like something that tastes like egg nog?”

John preferred to think that Rodney didn’t have an answer for that, rather than that he was ignoring him.

The first course of the meal was brought out, a soup John didn’t bother listening to the name of. He waited until everyone else began to eat, then tasted his before nodding the all clear to Rodney in a system they’d worked out early on.

By the time the meal was over, Rodney had finished Teyla’s not-egg nog and was reaching for Ronon’s. The Flondoran’s served a dessert that consisted of a pastry filled with some kind of local berry. Halfway through dessert, Rodney drained the last saki cup and carefully set it down. He carefully leaned back and around Teyla...and slid off the cushion.

“Hey, Ronon,” he hissed from his slightly unbalanced position.

Ronon slowly turned to look at Rodney.

“Listen, I just wanted to thank you.”

Ronon raised an eyebrow.

“For saving my life the first time we met.” Rodney assumed an expression of intense concentration, and then he nodded. “And every other time since then, of course.”

“Of course.”

“So, um, thank you.”

“You said.”

“Right. People usually say ‘you’re welcome’ when someone says ‘thank you’.” Ronan stared unblinking at him. “Right.”

Rodney pushed himself back up onto the cushion with more difficulty than John thought it warranted, and then leaned his shoulder against Teyla’s.

“Hey.”

“Dr. McKay.”

“I wanted to thank you, as well.”

“You are welcome.”

Rodney looked stunned. “I am?”

“Yes. It is no less than you would do for me, or any of us, and have, in fact, done.”

“Right. Of course, you’re right. But, um, also, for not hurting me with the sticks. Much.”

“You’re a quick learner.”

Rodney hummed happily at that, then tilted his head towards Teyla and John thought for a minute that he was going to try and kiss her. He stifled the sting of jealousy and wondered if he’d have to keep Teyla from mopping the floor with him, but Teyla just steadied Rodney with gentle hands on either side of his face and pressed her forehead to his.

John let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, but it caught in his throat when Rodney turned to him. If he hadn’t realized that something was wrong when Rodney thanked Ronon and Teyla, the dilated pupils and whispered, “John,” would have done it.

John quickly placed his fingers over Rodney’s lips. “Rodney, don’t say anything more.”

He efficiently clipped his gun to his vest one-handed and shifted to his knees as Rodney kissed his fingers and then pulled them away from his mouth. The kiss sent shivers through him that he tried his best to ignore.

“I have to.”

Shit, John thought. Shit, shit, shit. He had no idea what was wrong, but Rodney was not usually this open with his feelings. “Okay, but not here, all right?”

Rodney looked around them, and then nodded as he came to a decision. “Okay.”

“Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

John shoved the forgotten PDA into one of his pockets and then helped Rodney to his feet. He looked over Rodney’s shoulder at Teyla and Ronon, both of whom wore nearly identical expressions of concern.

“Will Dr. McKay be all right?” Teyla asked.

John didn’t know the answer to that, so he just said, “Find out from your friend what was in that drink.”

“Of course, Colonel.”

John looked at Ronon. “Stay with her.”

Ronon merely grunted in reply, but his thumb caressed the big ass gun he wore beneath his coat, so John felt secure leaving him backing up Teyla.

He nodded his approval, and then turned his attention back to Rodney. Without looking at any of the council members, who were now staring and whispering, and ignoring Kendall’s show of concern, John led Rodney out of the ceremonial hall and down the hallway towards the stairs.

“Where are we going?”

“To our rooms.”

“Oh, good, that...that’s good.” After a moment of silence, Rodney said, “How far is it?”

“Not far.”

They’d barely made it halfway up the winding staircase when Rodney pushed John up against the wall and kissed him. Rodney was hot and hard and, Christ!, he felt so good. Even better than he did in John’s fantasies, and for a minute John forgot that he didn’t do that anymore and kissed Rodney back.

Rodney moaned into John’s mouth and his hands moved all over him, his touch sure and deft. It wasn’t until Rodney whispered, “Geez, John, are you married to this gun?” and slid his hand inside John’s already unbuttoned pants that John realized that they shouldn’t really be doing this here. Or at all.

He grabbed Rodney’s wrist. “Rodney. Rodney!”

“What?”

John had never realized you could whine and pout at the same time.

“This is kind of public.”

“Oh. Right. Sorry. Your fault though,” Rodney said as he removed his hand from inside John’s pants and took a step back.

“ _My_ fault?”

“Yes. Do you need me to...?” Rodney gestured vaguely towards John’s undone fly.

“No!” John buttoned his fly and started back up the stairs. “And how was this my fault?”

Rodney scoffed. “Oh, please, like you don’t know.”

“Pretend I’m an idiot.”

Rodney gave John a look that said, “Pretend?” and John said, “Shut up,” and took the steps even faster.

Rodney was breathing hard when they got to the room and since the climb hadn’t been that arduous or the walk that long, John was worried.

“Are you all right?”

Rodney blushed. “Fine.”

“Are you sure? You’re breathing kind of....” The shoe dropped. “...heavy.”

“Look,” Rodney said, leaning back against the closed door, “obviously I want you. Have wanted you for.... Well, that’s not important, really. What is important is that we get naked. Now.”

“A little presumptuous, aren’t you? Have you even considered that I might not want to?”

Rodney snorted without pausing in the removal of his shoes and jacket.

John crossed his arms over his chest and stood there until Rodney looked up at him.

“What are you doing? Get undressed!”

Rodney began to unclip John’s gun and he had to uncross his arms to slap Rodney’s hands away.

“Is this how you treat all your...dates? You haven’t even asked, and I certainly haven’t said yes.”

Rodney pointed at him. “You kissed me. And that wasn’t my cock I had my hand on.”

John shivered at the reminder. And geez, Rodney was even annoying when there was sex involved. Why hadn’t he anticipated this?

“Look, I, uh, care about you, and...,” Rodney said at the same time John said, “Rodney, I can’t do this.”

Rodney just stared at him, silent, and the only thing John could think was that his pupils weren’t dilated anymore.

“Okay, this is awkward.”

John couldn’t agree more, and was unreasonably thankful for the knock on the door. He checked his weapon, then pulled the door open a crack before opening it wider to admit Teyla and Ronon.

“Dr. McKay, how are you feeling?”

“Fine. Dandy, even. Fine and dandy,” Rodney said, then added, “Thank you.”

His lips were pinched into a thin line and John knew he was less than fine, but he turned his attention to Teyla.

“What was in the drink?”

“Nothing that wasn’t supposed to be,” she said. “They did not.... What is the term, with the punch at Dr. Zelenka’s birthday party?”

“Spike?”

“Yes. They did not spike,” she said the word carefully, “the drink. I believe it is a matter of them ‘forgetting’ the original use of the beverage.”

“Meaning?” Rodney asked.

“Currently, the drink is merely ceremonial in nature, but many years ago it was served at formal negotiations, it’s purpose, if I understand correctly, was to keep the negotiators...honest.”

“Wonderful.” Rodney looked up when everyone fell silent and just stared at him. “Not that I didn’t mean....”

“I understand,” Teyla said.

“Anything else?” John asked.

“Kendall said that the effects should wear off soon.”

“Like I’m going to trust anything he says,” Rodney complained.

John wasn’t sure if that meant Rodney was back to normal or not.

“All right, thank you, Teyla. I’m going to stay here with Rodney....”

“That won’t be necessary, Colonel.”

“...do you two mind...?”

“No,” Ronon said.

John glanced at him and Ronon grinned.

Teyla rolled her eyes. “We will be fine.”

“Okay. And just to be on the safe side, I don’t think any of us should be alone while we’re here, so stick together, all right?”

“I agree.”

Teyla and Ronon left to go to the room they’d be sharing, presumably, and John shut the door behind them.

“I’d like to be alone,” Rodney said.

He was sitting on the far bed, his back to John.

John unclipped his P-90 and took off his vest, placing both of them on the chest at the foot of the other bed.

At the sound, Rodney glared at him over his shoulder. “What part of that didn’t you understand, Colonel?”

“Not gonna happen, Rodney. We’re sticking together.”

“Hmmph.” Rodney turned away.

“And quit calling me Colonel.”

“You prefer Major, now?”

“I prefer John.” John sat on the bed beside Rodney. “Say it again.”

“John?”

“That you care about me.”

“Oh, yes, because I love to relive my most embarrassing moments.”

“I’d like to kiss you again.”

“What?” Rodney jumped up off the bed. “Are you insane?”

“No.”

“Oh, quit pouting, you’re the one who said you didn’t want to.”

“I said I _couldn’t_.”

“And there’s a difference?”

“Yes.”

Rodney closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “So, you couldn’t then, but you can now?”

“Yes?” John was feeling less sure of himself.

Rodney got that look he had when he was on to something, like a bloodhound on the scent. He crossed his arms over his chest and said, “What, exactly, has changed in the last five minutes?”

“I was not going to take advantage of you when I thought you were juiced up on something.”

“I was juiced up on something.”

“Well, yes, but it was something that made you honest rather than, uh, uninhibited.”

John could tell that Rodney was thinking that over.

“Is that the only reason?”

John sighed. “No. I thought, well, I thought you might just be wanting to scratch an itch, and I made the decision, when I joined the Air Force, that I wouldn’t do anything that would keep me from flying. I wasn’t going to throw that away just to....”

“Scratch my itch?”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t it make things more difficult, me wanting more than just sex?”

“No, because I want that, too.”

Rodney snapped his fingers. “Just like that?”

“No, not just like that. I’ve been...thinking...about it.”

“Thinking?”

“Fantasizing,” John admitted.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Huh.”

“Rodney?”

Rodney moved to the bed. He pushed John back and knelt over him, then just looked at him. “Can I touch you?”

“Please.” John’s throat was suddenly dry and he could barely get the word out.

Rodney started at his lips, brushed his thumb across them, then dragged his fingers down his neck. He ran both hands over John’s chest, then pushed his t-shirt up.

“Off, off.”

John lifted up and helped Rodney pull the t-shirt over his head. He was left holding it when Rodney’s hands moved back to his chest. He tossed it to the floor and moaned as Rodney thumbed his nipples.

“Do you like that?” Rodney asked, his voice hushed, reverent.

“Yes.”

“And this?” Rodney bent down and licked his nipple. “Do you like this?”

John could barely think, much less speak, as Rodney sucked on both nipples, grazing them with his teeth.

Rodney slid down, touching and kissing his sides and stomach. When he reached John’s waistband, he unbuckled the belt, then reached for the thigh strap.

“Do you have any idea how sexy you look in this?” he asked, then unbuttoned John’s pants without waiting for an answer, and tugged them down. His boxers went with them and his cock slapped against his belly.

“Ow.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

Rodney gently patted his cock, then climbed off the bed and slid his pants down.

“Why do you still have your shoes on?” he complained, then bent over and loosened the laces just enough for John to kick them off.

When he was completely naked, Rodney just stood and stared at him.

“Rodney?”

“Wow.”

“Wow?” John grinned.

Rodney glanced at his face. “Put that away,” he said, then smiled. “We’re going to have sex.”

John stroked himself. “One of us is, anyway.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Rodney quickly threw his shirt off and then shoved his pants down.

John was impressed. He’d only seen Rodney move that fast when food was involved. He couldn’t help grinning again.

“What?” Rodney said as he stretched out beside John and reached out to touch his cock.

“We’re going to have sex.”

“Yes, yes, we are,” Rodney said, and then he kissed John again.

The first kiss had not been a fluke; Rodney could kiss. John rolled to his side so they were pressed together and wrapped his arm around Rodney’s shoulder. Rodney was hard and solid, and John liked that, liked having someone he could hold onto.

Rodney slid his hand up John’s back, then down to his ass. His touch was firm, sure, and John liked that as well. Rodney cupped his cheek and pulled him closer, and John moaned into his mouth as his cock pressed against Rodney.

John rocked his hips. “Rodney.”

He liked the way Rodney’s name sounded on his lips when his voice was all breathy like that.

“John.” Rodney met his next thrust.

He also liked the way Rodney said his name. “Mmm, say that again.”

“John.”

John kissed Rodney’s neck as they set up a rhythm.

“Again.”

“John.”

“I love the way you say my name,” John said, and then he kissed Rodney, slipping his tongue inside the heat of Rodney’s mouth.

“John,” Rodney said, breathless, and then kissed him again.

Rodney was saying his name and they were kissing, heated and hungry, until John didn’t know who was in charge, if either of them was. And then Rodney pulled John’s leg up and John slid through the sweat and pre-come in the cradle of Rodney’s hip.

The angle was perfect and John thrust hard, twice, and then came.

Rodney’s hand tightened on his thigh and John felt his cock jerk as he shot between them. His grip loosened, but he didn’t let go of John’s leg.

John rubbed his hand over Rodney’s back. “Rodney,” he whispered.

“Mmm, what?”

“Nothing, I just like saying it.”

“Okay. John.”

John smiled. “Rodney.”

Rodney lifted his hand and patted John’s head. “Go to sleep.”

“Okay,” John said, and waited until Rodney’s breaths evened out before whispering, “Rodney.”

The End


End file.
